Downdraft diverter



R, E. JAMES ET AL DOWNDRAFT DIVERTER Dec. 1, 1953 Filed March 19, 1949 6 RICHARD .JAMES,

ALBERT J. LAMPLPT. INVENT HUEBNL 'R, BEEHLEP. WOR/PEL, HERZ/G 8 CALDWELL,

A T TORNEVS.

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 DOWNDRAFT DIVERTER Richard E. James and Albert J. Lampert, Lcs

Angeles, Calif., assignors to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Richmond, Califi, a corporation of California Application March 19, 1949, Serial No. 82,386

4 Claims. (Cl. 126307) Our invention relates to gas burning equipment and has particular reference to a new and improved downdraft diverter adapted to prevent any drafts which may be forced downwardly in the exhaust stack from being communicated to the gas burner head, which would result in extinguish: ment thereof or in the contamination of the quarters in which the equipment is located with the products of combustion from the gas burner.

We are aware that the downdraft diverter art is quite crowded and that a great many diverters have been developed. However, it is among the objects of our invention to provide a more eflicient downdraft diverter and, particularly, a downdraft diverter which can be installed in relatively shallow places.

Previous attempts to produce downdraft diverters for installation on gas burning equipment wherein relatively shallow spaces are available have resulted in failure, in that such downdraft diverters have permitted spillage of products of combustion around the outer periphery thereof.

It is also among the objects of our invention to provide a relatively shallow downdraft diverter, which due to its double-walled construction substantially eliminates any spillage of the products of combustion, and yet which permits the free exit of the products of combustion and at the same time prevents or diverts downdraft currents from reaching the combustion chamber, which downdraft currents may and often do result in extinguishing the gas flame.

Downdraft diverters as heretofore known in the art have been constructed with diverter cones having substantially the same diameter as the exhaust flue and stack. Such construction materially interferes with the movement of products of combustion out the exhaust stack unless sufficient spacing is provided between the flue and the diverter and the diverter and the exhaust stack. This type of downdraft diverter is of necessity relatively high in construction.

It is further among the objects of our invention to provide a downdraft diverter having a relatively small diverter cone which will effectively prevent the return of downdrafts into the combustion chamber and will not interfere materially with the upward course of products of combustion.

Other and further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent from the drawings and the specifications relative thereto.

In the drawings: v Figure 1 is a side elevation of a downdraft 1diverter embodying the principles of our invenion.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of our downdraft diverter taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the means for supporting the hood on a mounting collar.

Our invention is composed primarily of four parts, namely, the outer hood designated generally it, an inner ring H supported by said hood, a diverter cone i2, and a mounting collar I 3.

The outer hood it is generaly dome-shaped having a generally concave undersurface and an upwardly extending flange it, said iange defining an aperture to permit the exit of products of combustion.

The lower limit of the hood it is defined by a downwardly extending lip is lying in a common plane and is formed with diametrically opposed, semi-circular indentations Il and it. The indentations l1 and i8 are to permit the passage of water pipes in such appliances as water heaters. The purpose of such construction is so that a downdraft diverter embodying the principles of our invention, which is relatively wide and shallow, can be installed on standard domestic water heaters.

The upper periphery of the collar l3 should be approximately in a common plane with the lip I6 or slightly above it.

The inner ring it is formed with a cylindrical wall 20 and an inwardly directed peripheral flange 2| disposed about the upper edge of the cylindrical wall 20. The flange M is securely fastened to the hood :0 by means of spot welding or the like.

The lower edge of the cylindrical wall 2@ is formed with an outwardly directed lip 22 terminating in a common plane above the plane of the hood lip l6. stantially less diameter than the outer hood it defines an annular chamber 2 3 open at the bottom, and which is bounded by the ring ii and the outer portion of the hood it.

The diverter cone is generally conically shaped and has a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the mounting collar l3 and the passage defined by the annular flange 15. The diverter cone is positioned with its apex pointing upwardly and is co-axial with the mounting collar l3 and the annular flange 5.

The mounting collar it serves a dual function. It extends the flue 33 upwardly to a point slightly The inner ring ll being of sub- The diverter cone is formedwith a" plurality of upwardly extending legs 30 adapted to be secured to the inner surface of the annular collar !5 by any suitable means, such as spot welding.

The cone i2 is also formed with a plurality-- of downwardly extending legs. 3!, each. of which is formed with an outwardly direct'edl ridge: 3T2. {he legs 35 are inserted into. the mounting collar- 13 until the ridges 32 abut against the upper edge of the ring it and the legs 3! are then secured to the ring it by such means as spot welding:

By the construction above described, WGfhaVC been able to produce a downdraft diverter which can be installed in relatively shallow spaces, and yet which effectively prevents harmful down-- drafts or spillage of the products of combustion.

In the upward course. ofproductsof combus-- tion through an exhaust stack, such. as 33,.the gases effectively by-pass the diverter cone. [2. and pass upwardly through the stack 36. In the event of a downdraft, the cone i2 diverts .the gasesoutwardly so that they are directedbeyond the periphery of' the mounting sleeve 13' or. the flue 33', which prevents communicaticnwith the combustion chamber thereby protecting. the gas burner.

While gases are passing upwardly, a stream-of fresh air is induced to flow. upwardly in th annular space defined between the lip 2 2 of; the. inner ring and the periphery offthe. collar. 13'. In. the event of a momentary stoppage ofthegases flowing upwardly due to such causes asrnomentary gusts of wind, the products of. combustion will first fill the inner chamber defined. by the ring it and may then spill over into the annular chamber E i, thereby preventing spillage: of the. products of combustion into. the: room. or quarters where. the equipment is' being used.

While we have h'ereinshown "and describedour invention inwhat wehave conc'eived-to' be the" most practical and preferred embodiment; it is recognized that departures may bemade there from within the scope of our invention; which'is not to'be limited to thedetails disclosedherein, but is to be accorded the full'sc'op'e' of the claims so as to embrace any'an'd all'equivalentdevices.v

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatentis:

l. A shallow-type downdraft diverter. comprising a relatively shallow dome-shaped hood being. open at the bottom having an aperture atthe top adapted to communicate with a vent for. the. passage of products of. combustion, a. cone.-

shaped substantially circular diverter inspaced'.

relation and subjacent said hood aperturepthe diameter ofthe diverter bein substantially less than the diameter of said aperturaandan annular flange depending from, andthev upperedge: thereof being in intimate contact with saidhood, the diameter of said flange being greater than the diameter of said hood apertureand less-than the diameter of the lower edge of the hood-and the lower edge of the flange being disposed-above thelower edge of said hood, saidhood'aperture,said. diverter and said annular. flange being in. coaxial relation, a. passage for products. of. combustion. being,- thereby formedbetween thedi-* verter and the flange and thence upwardly through the aperture in the top of the hood.

2. A shallow-type downdraft diverter comprisin a relatively shallow dome-shaped hood having an aperture at the top adapted to communicate with a vent, a cone-shaped substantially circular diverter having its. apex directed up wardly suspended co-axially below said top opening, the diameter of the diverter being substantially less than the diameter of said aperture, said diverter being located approximately midway between tlieetop and lower edges of the hood, and an annular flange depending from, and the upper edge thereof beingin intimate and co-axial contact with said hood,.the diameter of said flange being, greater than: the diameter of said hood aperture and less than the diameter of the lower edgeof-the'iio'odj and the lower edge of the flange being; disposed above the lower edge of said hood, a passage for products of combustion being thereby formed between the diverter and the flange andthence upwardly through the aperture in the to of" the hood, and primary secondary. pockets for downdraft condition being formed, the primary downdraft pocket defined by the flange and-the superadiacent wall'of theJhoodQandthe secondary pocket being formed by'the flange and the subjacent wall of the hood.

3; A shallow-type downdraft diverter compris ing a; shallow dome-shaped hood having aperture at the top adapted to communicate with a vent; a substantially circular conical diverter having: its apex directed upwardly suspended from said hood co-axialth'erewith and disposed below said'top aperture, the diameter of'the diverter being substantially less than the diameter or'said aperture, said diverter being. located approximately'midway between the top andi'ower edges ofthe, hood, an annular collar depending from said diverter and spaced therefrom in co-axial relation, the upper edge of said collar being sub stantially' levelwith thelower edge of the hood and the lower edge of" the collar being below the lower edge of the hood, said collar. being adapted to communicate with the upper end of. a fine tube 'conveyingproduct's of combustion, andan annugreater. thanv the diameter of said collar less than the. diameter oftlie lower edge of the hood and'the lower edge of. thei'iange being disposed above the upper edge ofv said'collar, a passage for products of combustion" being thereby formed by the annular collar, thence between the diverter andithe flange and thence upwardly through the aperture in the top oii'the hood, and primary and secondary pockets for downdraft condition being formed,,the primary downdraft pocket being defined by. thezfiangevv and the superadjacent wail of the. hood, and the secondary pocket being formedby theLflange and. the subiacentwall of the hood 4.. Adowndraft diverter comprising a substantially dome-shaped'outer hood having an undersurface andan outlet in the upper portion thereof, said hoodlbeing, formed with an annular collar. co-axial withsaid outlet defining a passage for productslof.combustion, hood having its lower edge defined by a lip, an inner ring comprising a cylindrical wall having a substantially smaller. diameter. than the diameter of the lower lip of saidhoodand being formed with an inwardly directed upper peripheralv flange, said fiangebeing securedto the undersurface of said hood so that said inner ring is co-axial with said hood, said inner ring being defined by an outwardly directed lip at the lower periphery thereof substantially above the lower lip of said hood, a diverter cone having its apex pointed upwardly and being substantially smaller in diameter than the passage for exhaust gases through said peripheral collar and being positioned co-axial therewith in spaced relation from said hood and within the confines of the cylindrical wall of said inner ring, said cone being formed with a plurality of upwardly extending legs adapted to be secured to said hood to hold said diverter cone in position, and a mounting collar comprising a cylindrical wall positioned co-axially with said hood, said cone diverter being also formed with a plurality of downwardly extending legs adapted to be secured to said mounting collar, each of said legs being formed with an outwardly directed ridge adapted to abut against the upper periphery of said mounting collar.

RICHARD E. JAMES. ALBERT J. LAMPERT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,966,946 Coulston July 17, 1934 2,030,205 Green Feb. 11, 1936 2,030,825 Pembroke Feb. 11, 1936 2,183,099 Hagenbuch Dec. 12, 1939 2,385,450 Koppel Sept. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 74,578 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1917 136,626 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1919 

